Tamper evident bag

Abstract

A tamper evident bag has front and rear panels connected together along opposite first and second side edge margins and a bottom edge margins that define a bag interior and a first bag opening therebetween. The first and second side edge margins include first and second peripheral side edges. The front and rear panels each have a tear line with a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being adjacent to and spaced apart from the first peripheral side edge. The first and second ends of each tear line being spaced part. The tear lines extend over the front and rear panels but remain spaced from the second side edge margin. Each tear line defines a respective tear out section on the front and rear panels. The tear out sections are joined along the first side edge margin and are configured to be removed to create a second bag opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tamper evident bag comprising:
 a front panel and a rear panel having front and rear surfaces and top, bottom, and opposite first and second side edge margins, the first and second side edge margins including first and second peripheral side edges, respectively, the front and rear panels being connected together along the first and second side edge margins and the bottom edge margin to define a bag interior between the front surface of the rear panel and the back surface of the front panel, the front surface of the rear panel and the top edge margin of the front panel defining a first bag opening therebetween sized and shaped for inserting one or more items into the bag interior; and 
 a handle connected to the bag, the handle and the first bag opening both disposed adjacent to the top edge margins of the front and rear panels; 
 the front and rear panels each having a tear line with a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being adjacent to and spaced apart from the first peripheral side edge, the first and second ends being spaced from the top and bottom edge margins and from each other, each tear line extending over the front and rear panels defining a respective tear out section therein, the tear lines being everywhere spaced from the second side edge margin, the tear out sections being joined along the first side edge margin and configured to be removed to create a second bag opening in the front and rear panels. 
 
     
     
       2. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein a continuous and unbroken segment of the front panel extends from the top edge margin to the bottom edge margin of the front panel and between the first peripheral side edge of the front panel and the first and second ends of the tear line on the front panel. 
     
     
       3. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein a continuous and unbroken segment of the rear panel extends from the top edge margin to the bottom edge margin of the rear panel and between the first peripheral side edge of the rear panel and the first and second ends of the tear line on the rear panel. 
     
     
       4. The tamper evident bag of  claim 3 , wherein the continuous and unbroken segments of the front and rear panels are contiguous with each other. 
     
     
       5. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends are spaced apart from the first peripheral side edge by the same distance. 
     
     
       6. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bag has a height and a midpoint along the height of the bag is located on the tear out sections. 
     
     
       7. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein the tear lines on the front and rear panels are aligned with each other. 
     
     
       8. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein the tear lines are formed of perforations. 
     
     
       9. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a closure panel configured to close the first bag opening. 
     
     
       10. The tamper evident bag of  claim 9 , wherein the closure panel is mounted on the rear panel. 
     
     
       11. The tamper evident bag of  claim 10 , further comprising an adhesive member on the front panel positioned to adhere the closure panel to the front panel so as to close the first bag opening. 
     
     
       12. The tamper evident bag of  claim 11 , where the handle comprises a first handle member joined to the rear panel. 
     
     
       13. The tamper evident bag of  claim 12 , wherein the handle comprises a second handle member joined to the rear panel. 
     
     
       14. The tamper evident bag of  claim 13 , wherein the second handle member is joined to the closure panel. 
     
     
       15. The tamper evident bag of  claim 14 , wherein the closure panel comprises a flap portion and a handle mount portion, the second handle member being joined to the handle mount portion. 
     
     
       16. The tamper evident bag of  claim 15 , wherein the closure panel is joined to a front surface of the rear panel between the top edge margin of the rear panel and the top edge margin of the front panel. 
     
     
       17. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , further including at least one vent hole. 
     
     
       18. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , wherein the tear lines have a first segment extending from the first side edge margin toward the second side edge margin, a second segment positioned between the first segment and the bottom edge margin and extending from the first side edge margin toward the second side edge margin, and a third segment interconnecting the first and second segments. 
     
     
       19. The tamper evident bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom panel connecting the bottom edge margin of the front panel to the bottom edge margin of the rear panel, and configured to define a surface on which an item in the bag may rest when the bag is carried by the handle.